


does this feel like a dream?

by stop_breaking_my_heart_telltale



Series: [dreaming of you] [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Other, [dreaming of you] series, brody dances a little bit, brotp louis/violet - Freeform, dragonflies everywhere, louis and violet have a chat, mitch plays guitar, so if you don't like that or can't handle it maybe skip this one, there is character death in this, violet-centric fic, with some sprinkles of briolet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27038236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stop_breaking_my_heart_telltale/pseuds/stop_breaking_my_heart_telltale
Summary: Violet knows none of this is real. The moon isn’t that big. The stars don’t fall from the sky to turn into dragonflies. Water doesn’t shine like that. Grass doesn’t feel this nice. The world crawls with the dead now, dull yet vicious.Violet can’t see.[part 3 of the [dreaming of you] series]
Relationships: Briolet - Relationship, Brody/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Brotp Louis/Violet, Louis & Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), clouis - Relationship, implied Clementine/Louis
Series: [dreaming of you] [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1492943
Comments: 7
Kudos: 12





	does this feel like a dream?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I'm alive. 
> 
> I wrote this story a long time ago, but left it to sit in my drafts to collect dust. After rereading and rewriting a few chunks of it, I thought I’d post it since I've been too sick to really do much. This is a Violet-centric fic with brotp Louis/Violet and sprinkles of briolet. 
> 
> Oh, and be warned: this fic features character death. Just in case seeing “[dreaming of you] series” didn’t tip you off. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy it as much as you can given, well... what it is.

_Violet can’t remember a time she saw a night sky as vivid as this._

_Deep, glittering blues and warm purple hues hidden by fluffy, lavender clouds and infested with shooting stars. The moon illuminates the world, almost too astronomically large for the sky to hold. Its reflection in the lake dulls in comparison, rippling waves and jumping fish destroying its perfection._

_If she were to lift her fingers from the soft grass and reach, she just might touch it._

_To touch the moon, to_ see _the moon… what a beautiful thought._

“I’m sorry.”

_So faint, barely a whisper._

_The stars begin to fall, one by one as the clouds part. Slow at first, they pick up speed to bounce off the water. Excitement brings the fish to jump higher, their iridescent scales reflecting every color imaginable as they catch the stars._

_“Holy shit,” Violet murmurs in awe._

_Despite the numerous fish splashing about, despite the stars falling from the sky, the world is quiet. Nothing but the wind rustling through the trees beside her and the flapping of wings as a dove as white and bright as the moon itself lands beside her._

_Violet grips fists of grass as she watches the inconceivable sight before her, bewitched by the stars bouncing around, tiny and buzzing. When one springs back against her leg, its radiance only grows as its wings extend, long and thin._

_Dragonflies, she realizes, perplexed._

_Tearing her gaze from the shimmering shower of the sky before her, she follows the golden dragonfly as it soars upward towards a treehouse._

_A treehouse?_

_Up in the heavy oak tree is indeed a treehouse. Fully finished and painted a light color, with glassless windows, a door, and even a little porch. A tire swing hangs down from one of the thick branches. A soft glow burns from inside, and when Violet listens closely-_

_A guitar?_

_Soft, slow strumming of a guitar… a song she almost recognizes, a lull that makes her heart heavy._

_The dove sings._

“Vi-” 

_Violet jerks around, so sure she heard something in her ear._

_Nothing._

“What do-”

“-have to-”

_Who-? No, that’s not..._

_What is this? Where is this? How did she-_

_How can she see?_

_A cautious finger runs along her cheek to find smooth skin. She dares to touch her right eye, the muscles on her neck and back tightening._

_Nothing._

_No rough burns, no scarring. No blurred colors._

_Everything’s clear, sharp. Rich, scintillating._

_With both hands this time, she rubs along her face. No pain, not even any discomfort. No, no, that’s- that’s not right. It can’t be._

_She can’t see, not really, but… everything is so clear. How is that possible?_

_Brilliant multicolor fill her vision this time. Greens, blues, pinks, oranges- all falling from the sky, setting the lake ablaze with color. Glowing dragonflies surround her now, curiously hovering and landing all over her legs, her arms, shoulders, even in her hair._

_Giving herself a good shake, they flutter away but remain close. When a pink one lands on her toe, she realizes she’s barefoot. The tall grass slips between her toes, cool and dewy. When was the last time she felt secure enough to walk along nature barefoot? When she was little, perhaps? If at all?_

_But despite the lack of shoes and the literal fall of the sky, Violet’s not scared. For the first time in so long, the world around her feels safe. Nothing malicious exists, only beauty._

_That’s how Violet knows none of it is real._

_It can’t be._

“Vi...?”

_The moon isn’t that big. The stars don’t fall from the sky to turn into dragonflies. Water doesn’t shine like that. Grass doesn’t feel this nice._

_The world crawls with the dead now, dull yet vicious._

_Violet can’t see._

_A dull ache in her neck._

_Moving onto her feet, she wipes at the remaining dragonflies clinging to the loose fabric of her pants- flowing silk soft against her skin with an equally as loose shirt to match. Almost pajama-like, but not quite. She doesn’t own anything like this._

_Violet scolds herself._

_Of course, these aren’t hers- it’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real._

_It’s a dream. A beautiful dream._

_Taking a deep breath, inhaling the sweet air, she moves forward towards the edge of the lake. Peering over, it’s practically crystal clear. The fish swim in an underwater world of reflective stones and moss, shared with baby blue crabs and spotted jellyfish._

_Kneeling down, Violet studies her reflection._

_A lump wells up in the back of her throat, tightening as she blinks back the wetness threatening to spill over. Still, she touches the sensitive skin around her eyes, expecting hard tissue and healed burns._

_No patch, no scars, no darkness._

_Only light._

_The way she used to be._

_Back before._

_Were they always so green? Did she just never notice?_

_Dipping thin fingers into the warm water, her image fades away. A curious seahorse brushes against her palm, only to swing back around to nuzzle against her hand, delighted by her touch._

_A smile betrays her lips. Even if everything in her brain tells her to pull away, to get away and run- to_ wake up _. As beautiful as this place is, it’s not real and…_

_And..._

_Cupping her hands, she splashes the water over her face until her bangs stick to her forehead, droplets dripping down her cheeks and chin._

_Nothing changes._

_She doesn’t wake up._

_The seahorse nudges its way into her grip, vibrating with glee. Other creatures- blue crabs, baby fish, a stingray with a glowing belly, turtles- all look to her now. Caution should start to creep up, a desire to remove every part of her from the water, but Violet remains. They’re not a threat- they’re welcoming. Warm, amiable._

_“Do you know how I got here?” she asks in a whisper. “How do I wake up?”_

_The seahorse slips from her grip and jumps out of the water, wiggling in the air and flopping back, splashing the front of Violet’s shirt._

_She doesn’t know what to make of that, but with the way it wraps its tail around Violet’s pinky finger as if to make a promise to her, a wave of tranquility flows through her._

“We love you, Vi,” _says the seahorse, soft and familiar._

_Her eyes shoot open wider as she gawks at the seahorse. The seahorse that just spoke. No, no, that’s ridiculous. How many times does she have to remind herself? This isn’t real._

_A dream. Even a hallucination, perhaps._

_No, no..._

_The guitar grows louder as the dove continues to sing. The wood creaks within the treehouse, shadows pass the windows. Someone’s inside._

_“Goodbye, little guy,” she says warmly._

_As if it heard her, the seahorse releases her finger and swims away to join the rest deeper in the lake. The wind blows cooler now, chilling her damp cheeks enough to send a shiver through her body._

_The door to the treehouse opens, but no one steps forward._

_Her lips part, ready to call up to the stranger, but a glimmer catches the corner of her eye._

_She nearly trips over into the lake._

_A distance away stands the largest house- shit, more like a mansion- she’s ever seen. Impossibly large, just like the moon, it dominates the land. There’s seemingly no end, the top nowhere in sight, towering over even the most enormous oak trees. Too many windows to count, sturdy double entrance doors, a running fountain out front surrounded by dragonflies._

_But the strangest thing about the mansion to Violet is its color- royal purple, vibrant in the moonlight. Of all things, that’s what does it for her. She almost laughs._

_Who the hell would build such an outrageous, purple mansion?_

_Whistling._

_Cheerful, lively whistling._

_Heat boils in her gut, overcoming the shock as a nostalgia tightens a grip around her heart. She hasn’t heard that song since-_

_Since…?_

_The ache in her neck becomes sharper, lightly throbbing in beat with her heart._

_Faint sobbing._

_God, her neck..._

_No, no, the whistling comes from the mansion, and as it swells with every passing second, her nerves become alight. Flutters in her stomach, trembles running down her arms, her knees weakening._

_That whistling, that tune- how could she have forgotten?_

_“...nevermind the darkness, nevermind the storm…”_

_Her chin quivers, vision blurring._

_The grass remains damp and cushions the harsh thumps of her feet as she darts to the fountain._

_“...nevermind the blood-red moon…”_

_His voice… so soft, so charming._

_She comes to a halt by the fountain, shooing away the glowing dragonflies obstructing her line of sight as her gaze darts around._

_Where is he? He has to be close, he has to be! She’s not crazy, she can hear him! He’s- Goddamn it!_

_Violet doesn’t care if it’s impossible. She doesn’t give a single shit if it’s real or not- a dream, hallucination, who cares! She has to know._

_“... the night will be over soon…”_

_Louis comes around the corner of the mansion, what looks to be a heavy blanket folded over his arms and a grin on his face. Rosie trails right behind him, her little tail wiggling excitedly._

_“... the night will be over soon…”_

_“Lou…” Violet gasps out._

_Everything about him is bright… alive._ Alive _. And Rosie… she’s just as boisterous as she once was as a young pup._

_Oh Rosie… poor, poor Rosie._

_They move to the steps leading up to the front door, and Violet thinks they might go inside. Ready to sprint after them, she finds they stop to drop off the blanket on the porch._

_Louis laughs with Rosie and a sob almost breaks out of Violet’s throat._

_He holds out his hand for a green dragonfly to land._

_“...brush away the sorrow…” he sings to it. “... brush away the tears… sing away your heavy heart…”_

_She used to make fun of his singing. Used to make fun of his music, his stupid jokes, his stupid face. Used to just…_

_“...the night will be over soon…”_

“We- you-”

_“...the night will be over soon…”_

_Rosie bites at the air, leaping to catch the dragonflies while Louis sings._

_“...for every night goes quiet and every moon grows blue…” he lets the dragonfly go, “beyond the dark, comes something new…”_

_It soars through the air, brighter than the rest, heading towards her._

_Instinctively, Violet holds out her palm for it to land._

_“...the sun will be rising soon…”_

_Louis meets her eye._

_“...the sun will be rising soon…”_

_He smiles._

_Within seconds, Louis stands before her. Somehow, he’s there. God… he looks…_

_He looks like_ Louis _with that grin, with humor swimming in those dark eyes, skin kissed with dozens upon dozens of freckles. He looks just like she remembers._

_A cautious hand reaches out to touch his shoulder._

_Violet doesn’t know what she was expecting. Maybe for him to fade away or even crumble into dust. No, Louis is there, real to the touch._

_Alive._

_Jerking back, she searches his expression for any answers._

_“No need to be so obnoxious, Vi,” Louis says, moving his hands to his hips and smirking. “I know you’re just thrilled to see me but reel in the excitement a little. You’ll wake the others.”_

_God, he’s here for two seconds and already she could smack him._

_“You idiot,” she says. “How- how are you even-? What is this?”_

_That gets a laugh out of him. He reaches over and places his hand over hers that the green dragonfly still rests upon, his touch striking a nerve… as if he’s really there._

_Real. No, no... not real, she reminds herself._

_“This is home,” Louis grins as he takes the dragonfly himself. “They told me you were here already. Guess they couldn’t wait to meet you after I talked you up so much.”_

_Before Violet can question what the hell that means, Louis’ smile falls into one of melancholy. Staring out across the lively lake and the moon, he sighs._

_“It’s really good to see you again, Violet.”_

_The sincerity in his voice is soothing, relaxing her shoulders as she admits, “Good to see you, too.”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_The corner of his mouth twitches up though he avoids her eye._

_Together, they stand by the fountain in peace, enjoying the ambiance of running water, buzzing, and guitar._

_“Can’t remember the last time I dreamt of you,” Violet says quietly. “Must’ve been years.”_

_“So you_ did _forget about me, huh?” Louis attempts to joke, but Violet recognizes that underlying hesitancy._

_“No,” she says. “Just… too sad to think about it. Everything. You… Clem, Tenn,” she sucks in a breath, “...Minnie.”_

_Louis hums._

_“Tenn…” he smiles. “He’s been through a lot, but that hasn’t stopped him from stepping up. I’m proud of that kid.” His smile falls then as he sighs. “Wish I could tell him that, but he doesn’t come here often and it seems Clem is still hesitant about relaying the message every time I give it to her.”_

_Violet can’t help but scoff, “You talk to Clementine?”_

_“Of course.”_

_“Okay.”_

_“You don’t believe me.”_

_“The dead don’t talk.”_

_“Says who?” asks Louis, raising a brow at her. “We’re talking, aren’t we?”_

_“You’re not real.”_

_Louis opens his mouth to speak but promptly closes it. Hurt furrows his brow as he looks to the sky. She steals a glance at him, her old friend._

_Not that she would’ve ever admitted to that back then. How stupid that seems now. Even when he went out of his way for her, whether it was to make her laugh or comfort her after a loss, or even keep her company when he knew she was lonely… Violet still never admitted it. Too proud, maybe._

_Or maybe admitting it made it real, and once it’s real, it can be crushed._

_After the twins, she didn’t think she’d ever be close to another human being again, never regain the same kind of connection she had to Sophie or- or_ Minnie. _Even her relationship with Brody soured, an amalgamation of grief and her own guilt._

_Louis cared about people. Really cared. Probably more than he cared about himself. He was the closest she had to a best friend for so long._

_Then he died, too._

_Minnie… Tenn…_

_Louis, devoured alive by walkers after saving Tenn’s life._

_All those jokes-_

_After losing her sight, losing Louis brought a whole other darkness over her world. She already lost so much- Minnie and Sophie, Brody- oh God, Brody…- and now her friend._

_When she got the news that Clementine was bit, too, with a missing leg and that Tenn was still missing, Violet went into a nervous breakdown._

_She never thought there’d be a darker day in her life than the day her grandma died, or the day the dead rose, or the day she found out Minnie and Sophie were dead._

_“A dream,” Louis mumbles to himself, breaking her thoughts. “Does this feel like a dream?”_

_No._

_No, it doesn’t. But that doesn’t make sense._

_“How are you doing?” he asks. “With everything?”_

_Everything? What, day to day life with practically no sight and the same rabbit stew every night? He’s here beside her in this… this_ place _\- it’s a dream_ - _and he wants to know how she’s doing?_

 _“I think a better question is how are you here?” Violet turns to him. “How does this feel so real? How are you so…_ alive _looking? You’re dead.”_

_“I’m aware,” Louis responds without a missed beat, almost as if that’s something he hears regularly._

_“That means you’re not real. None of it is,” Violet nods firmly. “I must’ve been thinking about the past or something before I fell asleep, that’s why you’re here and why I can see you. I can see everything and that’s not true.”_

_“Do you like what you see?”_

_Violet takes in the sight before them and she can’t deny how magical it all is, how safe it feels, how light she feels._

_“Yeah… I do,” she says, adding, “Except what’s with the mansion?”_

_“Ah, you like it?” Louis grins. “Built most of it myself. It’s not actually finished. Looks that way from down here, but I still got about four-hundred and fourteen floors left to go. It’s coming along, though, with everyone helping out.”_

_“You built it? When did you become so eager to work?”_

_“When I promised Clementine I’d build our dream home.”_

_That makes Violet bite her tongue._

_Even after all these years, Clementine never quite got over the loss of Louis. No one bothers going into the music room aside from her. It’s just too quiet, too sad._

_They don’t even hold gatherings in there anymore. The sight of the piano made everything too heavy, but no one was willing to tear it apart or burn it- especially with Clementine and AJ around._

_Clementine might only have one leg, but she wouldn’t hesitate to track down anyone who fucked with her piano._

_“Wait,” she says. “Everyone?”_

_“Me, Marlon, Rosie, Brody, Mitch, Geoff, Lee, James, Sophie-”  
_

_“Sophie?”  
_

_“Yeah, I left her in charge of painting,” Louis rolls his eyes. “Apparently I was doing it wrong.”  
_

_“If she’s here...” Violet trails off, biting her lip.  
_

_“Minerva’s around here somewhere,” Louis answers her unspoken question with ease. “She keeps her distance. Don’t think she’s ready to fully join yet. Y’know.”  
_

_“Shouldn’t I get to decide if she’s here or not?”  
_

_“Hm?” Louis gives her a questioning look.  
_

_“If it’s my dream, then I should get to decide if she’s here, or if I want to talk to her. Is she- ... is she the same?”  
_

_Louis pauses, studying her._

_Violet doesn’t know why she needs to know or not. It doesn’t matter, not really. The Minnie she knew from that locked cell wasn’t the same Minnie who used to make her laugh, give her butterflies in her belly, or sing sweet nothings to her on scary nights._

_She so desperately wanted to believe she was._

_“I don’t know,” Louis finally speaks. “She won’t talk to me.”  
_

_“Do you hate her?”  
_

_“No.”  
_

_“Why?”  
_

_“What would be the point in hating her?” Louis asks. “What happened to me happened a long time ago. I wish it hadn’t but it did. Do you know how many nights I sit out here and think about what it would’ve been like if I lived? If I got to be there for you, guide you around why you were still healing? Or if I got to love Clementine with every bit of my being?”_

_Louis reaches out for an orange dragonfly, allowing it to land on his finger._

_“There’s so much I wanted to give her, y’know?”  
_

_Violet mimics him, holding her own hand out for the dragonflies. A blue one lands on her palm, as does a pink one._

_“I know,” Violet whispers.  
_

_Louis nods, a faraway look playing on his features._

_“Hating Minnie doesn’t change anything. I forgave her a long time ago.”  
_

_“...Oh.”  
_

“I’m sorry.” 

_There’s movement in the treehouse._

_Violet squints, trying to make out who that face belongs to._

_Shaggy, dark hair falling over his forehead and a permanent scowl on his lips._

_“Mitch?”_

_That has to be him… even from here, the moonlight shows Mitch getting comfortable on the porch of the treehouse, legs dangling over as a guitar rests in his lap._

_She hasn’t thought about him in years. Holy shit._

_Mitch spots them, raising an arm to wave._

_Louis waves back, saying, “He didn’t want to startle you. Well, at least that’s what he told me, anyway. I think he just didn’t want to be the first one to talk to you.”_

_A little offended by that, Violet frowns. She and Mitch weren’t always on great terms- he could be a real dick sometimes- but she still mourned his death. He couldn’t be bothered to pop his head out and tell her what the fuck’s going on? Or at least do some crazy dream shit?_

_“Don’t be mad,” Louis nudges her arm with his elbow. “He’s never been good with this sort of thing. You know that.”_

_“‘This sort of thing?’“_

_Mitch whistles, and Rosie’s off. She runs through the dragonflies, barking and hopping around the tree as Mitch chuckles. He continues strumming the guitar, and Rosie howls._

_Another boy leaves the treehouse, and for the life of her, she can’t place who he is. Dark hair and a casual aura, he plops down beside Mitch._ _She’s about to ask, but then he hops down._

_Violet stiffens, waiting for him to crumble on impact only to find him landing perfectly on his feet._

_Mitch shakes his head, which earns him a laugh from the boy as he leads Rosie over to the water._

_Violet can’t help but smile._

_“It’s fine,” she says with a shrug, watching Rosie jump into the water. “I think I forgot a lot about him. Can’t remember how he’d act when he saw me.” She gives a dry laugh. “You’d think I have some sort of forgotten memory of him… guess you quit remembering when you lose so many…”_

_“But you remember me?”_

_Violet smirks._

_“Couldn’t have forgotten you if I tried. It’s nice to dream about you for a change, I guess… y’know, instead of everything else.”_

_Louis stays quiet, letting the orange dragonfly go and watching it fly as his hands find his hips. There’s something heavy lingering over him, Violet just can’t pinpoint what it is. The conversation at hand, probably. Bring up his own death might not have been a good idea, she realizes. He’s not as vibrant as he was when singing… singing_ that _song._

_She always thought Minnie was the only one who could sing it right._

_“A dream…” Louis murmurs again._

_“Almost don’t want to wake up.”_

_Louis lowers his head._

_A hand rests upon her shoulder, heavy and warm. He turns her to face him, and in a voice so soft-spoken, so gentle, he says her name, “Violet.”_

_She winces._

_Something’s wrong._

_God damn it, what the hell is up with her neck…? Rubbing it doesn’t do anything to soothe the pain, neither does applying pressure. Louis watches her, more focused than she’s ever seen him._

_“What do you remember?” he asks quietly. “Before you got here, I mean.”_

_Remember?_

_That’s not the question she expected._

_“Uh, I don’t know…” she says, at a loss. “I was just here, sitting by the lake-”_

_“Before then,” Louis interrupts, brows furrowed with dejection. “What happened today?”_

_What happened today?_

“Violet-”

_“What happened today, Violet?”_

_“We were supposed to clean the greenhouse,” she says. “Me and-”_

_Shit, who did she go with? It had to have been Aasim, right? Aasim or Ruby, or was it both of them?_

_Fuck-_

_A sharp sting in her neck._

_“Ruby and Tenn,” Louis answers for her. “You, Ruby, and Tenn were supposed to clean out the greenhouse today.”_

_Louis frowns, turning away from her to look back up at the mansion. She follows suit, matching his gaze to stare up at one of the open windows. Loose curtains hang inside, but between them, she can make out yet another familiar face._

_All thought of a greenhouse, of dreams and the moon, gone._

_Brody leans out, arms resting on the windowsill as she meets Violet’s gaze with a warm smile. Her lovely red hair flows freely around her shoulders, and even from here, Violet can feel the piercing weight of those blue eyes._

_Brody… Brody…_

_And just like that, she’s gone, disappeared from the window._

_Louis sighs, reaching back to scratching behind his neck._

_“Guess she couldn’t wait.”_

_Within moments, Brody stands on the porch with a smile that melts Violet’s insides._

_In a sleeveless, light blue dress that flows down to her knees, Brody hops down the steps, grabs the heavy blanket Louis placed earlier, and sprints to them. The dragonflies follow, clinging to the dress and elevating the lovely glow of her skin in the moonlight._

_Warmth envelopes Violet as Brody tosses the blanket at Louis’ feet and throws her arms around her, nearly knocking both of them to the ground. She’s real to the touch, just like Louis. The sweet floral scent of lilac overwhelms her senses as Violet holds her back._

_When they part, Brody still keeps her close, gripping her arms tightly._

_“Hi,” she beams.  
_

_“Hi.”  
_

_“Hello,” Louis waves a hand between them. “In the middle of something here.”  
_

_“Yeah, well, you’re takin’ an awfully long time,” Brody says. “Everyone’s gettin’ ready and I couldn’t wait until, well, y’know.” Running her hands down Violet’s arms, she adds, “I’ve missed you.”_

_“Really?” Violet questions. “Why? I mean-”_

_“Don’t,” Brody shakes her head. “We can talk about all that later. We don’t got too much time left and I just...”_

_She and Louis share a look, a silent conversation Violet’s not in on. He sighs, giving a small nod before grabbing the blanket off the grass.  
_

_“Go ahead.”  
_

_Before Violet can protest, Brody grabs her hand, dragging her back down the hill and towards the water. Rosie’s swimming with the jumping fish, yipping and splashing all around as the same boy from before sits at the edge of the lake, pants rolled up and legs submerged._

_Mitch hasn’t moved from his spot, still playing guitar. However, he’s not alone._

_Violet almost crashes into Brody when she spots Sophie leaning over the railing of the treehouse’s porch, nodding along to the song and smiling down at her. She gives a little wave. Violet wants to call out to her but seems to have lost her voice._

_Brody releases her hand once they’re closer to the water. It’s different now. Before the moon hung high and dominant in the sky, now it sets, only about half remaining over the horizon._

_No more stars remain in the sky, leaving it a lovely purple. The population of dragonflies has thinned out, still buzzing about over the water and all around her._

_Lights go off behind her as the mansion glows within, movement bringing the building to life._

_God, how many people are here? she wonders._

_“It’s gorgeous, huh?” Brody asks, giving her hand a squeeze. Violet’s skin flushes when she realizes they’re still connected, but doesn’t pull away. “You should see the beach down thataway. This view’s great, but there’s nothin’ like the beach. I always knew it’d be my favorite place.”  
_

_“Maybe we’ll go there next time,” Violet offers. “Though I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to dream like this again.”  
_

_Without warning, Brody pulls her into another hug._

_Violet winces- Shit, why won’t her neck knock it off? What’d she do? Pull a muscle?_

_“Vi,” Brody mumbles in her ear, “would you believe me if I told you this isn’t just a dream?”  
_

_Violet tightens her grip on Brody’s waist, blinking back sudden tears. When did she start crying? That’s not-_

_“No.”  
_

_Maybe._

_Wait-_

_Brody lets go of her then, stepping back along the grass and giving a graceful twirl._ _The dragonflies continue to twinkle with every step as she spins by the water in delicate circles, her dress billowing out._

_“...nevermind the darkness... nevermind the storm...”  
_

_Louis’ voice echoes through the air._

_“...nevermind the blood-red moon...”  
_

_Violet follows Brody, careful to not move her head around too much just in case she fucks her neck up more. Brody dances back to her, pausing only to offer her a hand._

_With no hesitation, Violet takes it._

_“...the night will be over soon...”_

_Never before has she felt so light, so airy. Even with the constant pain twinging her muscles, dancing with Brody and the dragonflies under the moonlight left more threatening tears spilling over onto her cheeks._

“We have to- before- now.” 

_Rosie joins them, shaking the water from her coat and howling._

_Voices, footsteps from the mansion._

_Mitch’s song, Louis’ voice._

_“...the night will be over soon...”  
_

_Pressure building in her head._

_Violet’s knees buckle. Brody catches her._

_The guitar stops._

_“Brody, I don’t-”_

_Silence._

_Wavering, colors blending. Her neck- why won’t it go away? What did she do? Why-_

_No, no-_

_“Violet?” Brody soft voice breaks through, her fingers caressing her cheek. “It’s okay.”  
_

_“I was-” Violet shudders. “I was cleaning the greenhouse.”  
_

_“I know.”_

_Brody brings both of them back down to the tall grass, and for that Violet’s grateful. The world moves far too fast beneath her, causing nausea to boil in her stomach and throat. She coughs, gags._

_Another hand finds her back- Louis’ hand. The warmth of a blanket covers her, hanging over her shoulders and onto Brody._

_The ache in her neck is excruciating now, bolts of pain bending her over until she’s on her knees, gripping the skin tightly- fuck, fuck, fuck!_

_Make it stop!_

_“ I can’t- ARGH-!”_

_Make it stop, make it stop!_

_Fire, burning, melting-_

_It burns through her veins, alighting every nerve with torturous heat. She trembles violently under the hand rubbing her back._

_Rosie lays her head on her lap, whining softly._

_“Fuck- fuck!”_

_“Violet, listen to me-” Louis’ voice barely registers. How the fuck is he so calm right now? She’s writhing in anguish right in his arms and- fuck, fuck, she can’t think! She can’t think! Her head, her neck, her eyes- she can’t see!_

_She can’t see, she can’t see, she can’t see-_

“I’m so sorry, Vi. I’m so-”

_Wake up._

_Wake up._

_Wake up._

“I can’t- I can’t do it. One of you-”

_Sobbing._

_“Violet, breathe,” Louis tells her. “Breathe and listen to me. If things were different, I would tell you to keep fighting.”_

_No, no- fuck! Her bones are breaking- they’re breaking!_

_Everything’s breaking!_

_“That you’re gonna pull through this like you always do because you’re stronger than that,” Louis continues, steady and comforting. “That you’re not allowed to live here until the house is finished and you need to stay alive because the others need you, but I- I can’t this time.”_

_She can’t breathe-_

_Wake up._

_Wake the fuck up, Violet, c’mon!_

_This isn’t-_

_No, they went to the greenhouse and tended to the plants! They found more planting soil and tools and a broken window! And they-_

_They-_

_“Louis?” another voice- Mitch, maybe?- calls. “Is she…?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_More hands fall gently on her back, one brushing her hair back before cupping her cheek. It’s soft and light, cool against her blistering skin._

_Brody’s thumb brushes over the bottom lips Violet’s teeth have sunken into. Blood tangs on her tongue as she bites harder. She’s- she’s-_

_She’s dying._

_She’s dying._

_Dying._

_“Your injuries, they’re just-” Louis takes a steady breath, lacing his fingers with Violet’s, “-you can’t come back from that bite. I’m sorry.”_

_Arms slip around her, and even as she convulses, Brody hugs Violet to her. Cradling her in her lap, Violet holds on._

_She's bit._

_Violet got bit by the walker._

_“Your room's all made up,” Brody whispers. “Made it up myself.”  
_

_“You can let go now, Vi,” says Louis, resting his forehead against her shoulder. “It’s okay.”_

_No, no- wait, wait, wait-_

_This isn’t- she didn’t think-_

_"This is real," she gasps out. "I'm- I'm bit, I-"_

_"You're going to be okay. I promise. We're not going anywhere."_

_She can’t breathe._

“Goodbye, Violet.”

_A gunshot rings through the world._

_Rosie howls._

_And Violet can breathe again._

_The moon fades away, and in its place, the sun rises._


End file.
